Loading regulator



Feb. 29, 1944. M. H. GROVE Erm.

LOADING REGULATOR Filed Dec. l1, 1959 lm-ImPH NS wm MQ MQ MAP 00L/6 lPatented Feb. 29, 1944 LOADING REGULATOR Marvin H. Grove, Piedmont, and Douglas H. An-

nin, Oakland, Calif.; said Annin assignor, `by mesne assignments, to Fluid Control Engineering Co., a copartnership consisting of Marvin H. Grove and Julia E. Grove, both of Piedmont,

Calif.

Application December 11,- 1939, Serial No. 308,622

(Cl. 5o -23) 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to apparatus for the purpose of controlling flow of various fluids. More particularly it relates'to flow regulators capable of maintaining a desired gas pressure in a closed or substantially closed pressure system.

In the operation of various fluid flow control equipment, such as uid pressure regulators and pressure relief valves, it is frequently desirable to provide a loading pressure with provision for adjusting the same over a predetermined range. For example a loading pressure from an external source can be applied to a regulator such as shown in Grove Patent No. 2.047,101, to control operation of the same. Such a regulator must be capable of supplying gas at a selected pressure. and also must have means for venting gaswhen the pressure rises beyond a desired value. In the past small sized regulators for this purpose, capable of simple 'adjustment over a wide range, have not been available.

It is an object of the present invention to vprovide a simple loading regulator suitable for the service described above, and which can be adjusted over a wide range of pressures by turning a single operating member.

Another objectof the invention is to provide an improved construction for a loading regulator of the above character, and which lends itself to simplified control and adjustment.

Additional objects of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth in detail in conjunction with the drawing.

Referring to the drawing- Figure 1 is Ya side elevational view in cross section, illustrating a loading regulator incorporating the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view showing the valve element incorporated in the regulator of Figure 1.

The loading regulator I illustrated in Figure 1 has been constructed primarily for the control' of gas. It includes a body 44 having the inlet and outlet passages 46 and 41. Within the body there is a diaphragm assembly 48 which includes the flexible diaphragm element 49. an overlying dia-- phragm disc l, and a clamping stud 52 which extends through disc 5I and through the central portion of the diaphragm. The outer peripheral edge portion of flexible diaphragm element 49 is gripped between an annular shoulder 53 formed on the valve body and the lower side of a stationary ring 54 which is accommodated within the annular recess 56 formed in the body. The

inner peripheral edge portion of diaphragm element 49 is clamped between an annular shoulder 51 formed on fitting 52 and the adjacent face of the disc 5I That portion of fitting 52 which extends through disc 5l is threaded and engaged by the nut 58.

In conjunction with the body 44 there is a shell 59, one end of which is clamped upon ring 54 by the ferrule 6I. The chamber or space 62, in one side of the diaphragm assembly, is in communication with the outlet side of the loading regulator` as by means of a duct 63. In order to form an adiusiable loading force acting upon the other si de of the diaphragm assembly, there is a spring 64. one end of which is seated upon the disc 5|. The other end of the spring is seated upon a follower 66 which is threaded upon the hollow rod 61. One end of rod 61 terminates near the diaphragm assembly, and the other endV extends through a central opening 68 provided in the shell A thrust bearing 69, in the form of a ball bearing assembly. is interposed between the rod 61 and the shell 59, whereby the shell 59 takes the thrust of spring 64. The outer end of rod 61 carries the manual operating member I3 which is in the form` of a cup or cap. For the attachment of cup i3 to rod 61, theouter end of the rod is threadedto receive the clamping nut 1I and the closure cap 12. Upon turning the member I3, the rod 61 is turned so that the follower 66 moves longitudinally of the rod to vary the tension upon the compression spring 64. In order to prevent rotation of follower 66, it carries a roller 13 which extends into a longitudinal guide track or groove 14 formed within the shell 59.

The diaphragm assembly 48 carries valve means serving to vent gas from the outlet side when the gas in chamber 62 moves the diaphragm against spring 64. This valve means preferably consists of a ball 16 engaging a seat ring 11 formed of suitable material such as hard rubber. The ball 16 is carried within a plug 16 threaded into fitting 52. and this plug also serves to cla-mp against and retain the seat ring 11. An inner bore 19 in plug 18, in which ball 16 is accommodated. also accommodates a follower 86 and a light compression spring 8|. upon the ball 16 andmay move freely within the bore 19. Spring 8l retains the ball normally closed upon its seat. On the other side of the seat 11, the fitting 52 is provided with a bore 82 within which there is a sliding piston or plunger 83. A pin 84 extends from theouter end of this plunger to a point in engagement with the ball 16. Another pin 86 extends from the opposite The follower is adapted to seatend' of plunger 83 and is adapted to engage one end of a fixed rod 81. This rod forms an abutment, the position of which maybe adjusted. It is accommodated within the hollow rod 61, and the end which is remote from the diaphragm assembly is provided with a threaded portion 88 which extends through and is threaded within the outer end of rod 61. The outer end of threaded portion 88 is provided with a slotted head .89, whereby upon removing clamp 12, rod 81 can be rotated to change its setting. Compression spring 90 below the head 89 affords suiiicient friction to properly retain a given setting. Piston 83 has a small groove or duct 92 for the passage of gas flowing through the valve seat 11, when the ball 16 is moved from its seat. Plug 18 is also provided with a duct 93, whereby the pressure of gas in chamber 62 is applied to the ball 18. Additional valve means is carried by the body 44 and serves to control flow of gas between the main inlet and outlet openings. This valve means includes a seat ring 96 held in place within the body by the threaded plug 91. The seat ring is engaged by a ball 98 which is urged towards the ring by the follower 99 and spring |0i. The space in the body occupied by ball 98 communicates with the inlet passage 46 through the duct |02. On the other side of the seat ring 96, plug 91 is provided with a bore |03 within which the piston |04 is fitted. Pin |05 extends from one end of this piston to engage the ball 98, and pin |06 extends from the opposite end of the plunger to a position for engagement with the outer face of plug 18. Plunger |04 has a groove |01, and plug 91 has a duct |08, so that when ball 98 is opened gas ows from the inlet passage 48 through duct |02, through the valve seat 96, and thence through duct |01 and |08 to chamber 62. It Will be apparent from the foregoing that when the diaphragm assembly 48 moves a slight amount to the left as viewed in Figure 1, the ball 16 is unseated with the result that gas is vented to the atmosphere from chamber v|52 and from the outlet passage 41. Likewise, when the diaphragm moves a small amount to the right, as viewed in Figure 1, under the urge of the loading spring 64, ball 98 is unseated with the result that gas from the inlet passage 46 iiows through the valve seat 96 into the chamber 62, and from thence through duct 63 to the outlet passage 48. Since the gas pressure in chamber 62 represents the outlet pressure, the diaphragm will be moved whereby opening and closing of valve ball 98 maintains a substantially constant pressure upon the outlet side 41. Should the pressure upon the outlet side increase beyond a predetermined value, then movement of the diaphragm assembly causes opening of valve ball 16 to vent gas to the atmosphere, thus reducing the outlet pressure within definite limits.

The margin between the pressure at which valve ball 98 is unseated, and the pressure at which valve ball 16 is unseated to vent gas, can be relatively small as, for example, in the neighborhood of ten pounds per square inch for pressures on the outlet side of the order of 500 pounds per square inch. This margin between minimum and maximum outlet pressures can be varied by changing the setting of the abutment 81, as by applying a suitable tool to the head 89. Retracting the abutment with respect to the diaphragm assembly serves to increase the margin between minimum and maximum outlet pressures, while moving the abutment closer to the diaphragm tends to reduce the margin.

Turning the operating member I8 serves to change the force exerted by the loading spring 84, with the result that the outlet pressure is adjusted. Because of the manner in which the two diierent valve means are coordinated together, a change in the setting of operating member I3 changes not only the minimum pressure maintained on the outlet side, but the maximum pressure as well. In other words, if member I3 is operated to change the outlet pressure to from 400 to 600 pounds per square inch, such a change not only changes the pressure at which ball 88 is unseated to permit ilow of gas from the inlet f the outlet side, but in addition simultaneously varies the maximum pressure at which ball 16 is unseated to permit venting of gas to the atmosphere. A

It will be evident from the foregoing that the regulator described can be used for a variety of purposes. For example it can have its low pressure side connected to the dome of a regulator such as shown in Grove Patent No. 2,047,101 in order to maintain a substantially constant loading pressure of a selected valve, irrespective of temperature changes or possible leakage.

'We claim:

l. In pressure regulating apparatus, a body having inlet and outlet passages, a diaphragm carried by the body, the body providing a iiuid chamber on one side of the diaphragm in communication with the outlet side of the regulator, valvemeans carried by the body and movable between closed and open positions to control iiow of fluid between the inlet and outlet passages, said valve means including a stationary seat and a movable valve member, a second valve means carried by the diaphragm, said second valve means likewise including a valve seat and an associated movable valve member, means whereby movement of the diaphragm assembly in one direction from an intermediate position against the pressure in said chamber serves to operate the first namedvalve means from closed position to permit ow of iiuid between the inlet and outlet passagessaid means comprising a part fixed to the diaphragm and forming an abutment surface immovable relative to the diaphragm for engaging and applying motion to the iirst named movable valve member, a coiled compression spring disposed upon the other side of the diaphragm and having one end of the same seated upon the diaphragm, a member manually rotatable about an axis aligned with the center of the diaphragm and at right angles thereto, journal means serving to mount said member with respect to the body for rotation about said axis, without movement in a direction toward or away from the diaphragm, means acting between said rotatable member and said compression spring, whereby the compression of said spring is adjusted by rotation of said member to adjust the loading force upon the diaphragm, means serving to open said second valve means to thereby vent iiuid from the outlet side of the regulator when the diaphragm is exed from said intermediate position responsive to pressure of iiuid in said chamber, said last means including an abutment extending axially through said rotatable member and adapted to be engaged by the valve member of the diaphragm carried valve means, and means carried by said member for adjusting the position of said abutment in a direction toward or away from the diaphragm assembly, both said valve means -being closed when said diaphragm is in said intermediate position.

2. In a pressure regulator, a body having inlet and outlet passages, a circularly contoured iiexible diaphragm carried by the body to form a fluid chamber therewith, said chamber being in communication with the outlet side of the body, a shell carried by the body and serving to generally enclose the space upon the other side of the diaphragm, a diaphragm carried valve assembly extending through the central portion of the diaphragm and secured to the same, said assembly comprising a movable valve member cooperating with an associated valve seat, opening movement of the valve member of said assembly serving toI vent uid from said chamber, a second valve assembly carried by said body, the valve means of said last named assembly including a, valve member movable between open and closed positions and serving when opened to permit flow of fluid from the inlet to the outlet passages, a member extending through one wall of the shell and rotatable about an axis at right angles t6 the diaphragm assembly and aligned with the center of the same, a compression spring within the shell and surrounding said member, one end of the spring being seated upon the diaphragm, means forming a thrust bearing between said member and said shell, whereby said member can be rotated about its axis without movement toward or away from said diaphragm, a follower threaded upon said member and engaging the other end of the compression spring, whereby upon rotation of said member said follower is moved to vary the compression of said spring and thus adjust the loading upon the diaphragm, a valve operating abutment extending axially through said member, the inner end of the abutment being disposed to be engaged by the valve member of the diaphragm carried valve assembly when the diaphragm moves in one direction from an intermediate position, means for adjusting said abutment in a direction longitudinally of the axis of rotation of said member, and a part fixed to the diaphragm and forming an abutment for engaging and applying motion to the valve member of the body carried assembly when the diaphragm is moved in an opposite direction from said intermediate position, both said valve means being closed when said diaphragm is in said intermediate position.

MARVIN H. GROVE. y DOUGLAS H. ANNIN. 

